Liam Lawrence is a major doubt for Stoke’s visit to Portsmouth at the weekend after suffering a “freak” accident at home.

The midfielder apparently turned his ankle whilst stepping over his pet dog on the stairs. Cruelly brought down by the mutt, Lawrence reported the injury and, while initial scans have revealed no break, the club are still unsure over the potential damage.

“We don’t know how serious it is at the moment, he may be ok for Portsmouth then again he may not be fit, we will have to wait and see,” added Stoke boss Tony Pulis.

Any absence for Lawrence would be a big blow for those fantasy managers who have invested in him as a cheap midfield option. Lawrence has had a tough run of fixtures of late but is approaching a period of potential decent returns – starting with Portsmouth at the weekend.